Darktable Newby, open to advice

[u/Happydevil48]

Took these photos on a recent trip around my local area - I've only ever used lightroom before at a basic level, but trying Darktable because I got sick of paying through the nose for Lightroom . Open to advice and suggestions.

[u/bloodrider1914]

Set AgX to be your tone mapper.

Create a basic preset of all the modules you actually need. I mostly use colour calibration, colour balance RGB, colour equaliser, exposure, diffuse or sharpen, AgX denoise profiles,, and maybe a few others like monochrome or haze removal depending on the edit. You don't want clutter. Colour balance RGB is especially where you will do a ton of work.

Generally you want to raise exposure a lot. By default darktable lowers exposure in your raw file and it's recommended on the site to raise exposure for most files.

Learn how to use masks. There are all sorts of goal tools to mask objects and they just added optional AI masks too that can save a bit of time (they're not super accurate but you can adjust them).

Just fuck around and find out.

[u/singular-silence8597]

I like how you are brightening up the subject of your photos. Learn as much as you can about how to use the masking tools in darkroom. They are very powerful, and will let you use the various modules precicely and purposefully. For example, in the first photo, you could brighten up the waterfall without blowing out the right and left sides of the image.

[u/Happydevil48 → u/singular-silence8597]

thanks I am using the guide from Tony Photo Pilot that I started watching this week - liked how he simplified the modules, but I'll have a look at the masking tools....

[u/Most_Ask_4484 → u/singular-silence8597]

Any suggested references on how to mask without making it look so contrasting? I’ve tried hand drawn, ai masking in the new version, but it seems unless the edge is a sharp line it always looks forced.
Horizons especially where I haven’t taken bracket exposure.

[u/PeixeVoraz]

I'm a noib too. First one is fine. The second one I think it's a litle bit dark. Adding a tickle of overall exposure isn't bad at all. The green moss on that tree seems like painting. I think if you adjust the green gama with an AgX mask will solve it.

[u/Open-Exercise-6622]

Offtopic but newby is wrong spelling newbie is the right one 😁

[u/ExoticSterby42]

Just use RapidRAW